Ring of Barahir
The Ring of Barahir was an ornate silver ring given to Barahir by the Elven King Finrod Felagund, in reward for saving his life in the Dagor Bragollach. It was a sign of eternal friendship between Finrod and the House of Barahir and it became an heirloom of his kin. Description The ring was described as the likeness of two serpents intertwined with eyes made of green jewels. This was the symbol of the House of Finarfin. The serpents met beneath a crown of golden flowers that one upheld and one devoured. The jewels, at least, were crafted in Valinor and sometimes seemed to burn with green fire.''The Silmarillion'', ''Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XIX: "Of Beren and Lúthien" (…)green jewels gleamed there that the Ñoldor had devised in Valinor. For this ring was like to twin serpents, whose eyes were emeralds, and their heads met beneath a crown of golden flowers, that the one upheld and the other devoured; that was the badge of Finarfin and his house. Tolkien described the ring in verse in the Lay of Leithian: Proud are the words, and all there turned to see the jewels green that burned in Beren’s ring. These Gnomes had set as eyes of serpents twined that met beneath a golden crown of flowers, that one upholds and one devours: the badge that Finrod made of yore and Felagund his son now bore. While the Ring of Barahir was not known to contain any magic or power, it is notable as one of the oldest crafted objects in Middle-earth. Lasting through the War of the Ring but having been crafted in or before the First Age, the Ring of Barahir was thousands of years older than any of the Rings of Power. The Palantíri however, are cited by Gandalf as being forged possibly by Fëanor, which would place their origin in the Age of the Trees. History The ring was forged by the Noldor in Valinor, at some point prior to the beginning of the First Age. It was brought to Middle-earth by Finrod Felagund as an heirloom of the House of Finarfin.''The Silmarillion'', ''Quenta Silmarillion'', Chapter XIII: "Of the Return of the Noldor" Finrod carried the ring until the year FA 455, when Barahir, an Edain, saved his life during the Dagor Bragollach. Finrod gave Barahir the ring as a sign of friendship between himself and Barahir's house. Barahir would bear the ring for the remainder of his life, until he was waylaid by orcs led by Gorgol, who took Barahir's hand and ring.''The History of Middle-earth'', Vol. III: The Lays of Beleriand, chapter IV: "The Lay of Leithian Recommenced" Both hand and ring, however, were retrieved by Barahir's son Beren when he avenged his father. Beren laid the hand to rest with his father's remains, but kept and wore the ring. Beren later used the ring to prove his lineage to Thingol when he first entered Doriath and again when he sought Finrod's help in the quest for the Silmaril. |left]]The ring was passed from Beren in direct line to Dior, then his daughter Elwing and her son Elros, who brought it to Númenor during the Second Age. It was an heirloom of the kings of Númenor until Tar-Elendil gave the ring to his eldest daughter Silmariën, who was not allowed to succeed him on the throne. She in turn gave the ring to her son Valandil, first Lord of Andúnië. It was handed down to succeeding Lords of Andúnië to the last one, Elendil.''Unfinished Tales'', Part Two: The Second Age, Chapter I: "A Description of the Island of Númenor", note 2 In the Third Age the ring was again passed in direct line from Elendil, to Isildur, to the Kings of Arnor, and then Kings of Arthedain. The last King of Arthedain, Arvedui, gave the ring to the Lossoth of Forochel; thankful for the help he received from them. It was later ransomed from the Snowmen by the Dúnedain of the North, after which it was kept safe at Rivendell.The Lord of the Rings, Appendix A, Annals of the Kings and Rulers, I. "The Númenorean Kings", iii. "Eriador, Arnor, and the Heirs of Isildur" Eventually, it was given by Elrond to Aragorn, son of Arathorn, when he was told of his true name and lineage, together with the shards of Narsil. In the year 2980 of the Third Age, in Lórien Aragorn gave the ring to Arwen Undómiel at their betrothal.The Lord of the Rings, Appendix B, The Tale of Years (Chronology of the Westlands) "The Third Age" Nothing is said of the fate of the ring in the Fourth Age, but it was most likely either again passed to the Kings of Gondor and Arnor, descendants of Aragorn and Arwen, or it went with Arwen to her grave in Cerin Amroth. Portrayal in adaptations In Peter Jackson's movie versions of the Lord of the Rings, Aragorn wears the Ring of Barahir. In the extended DVD edition of ''the Two Towers'', Saruman was able to identify him through that ring. Gallery RingofBarahir.jpg|The Ring of Barahir as it appears in the fan-film Born of Hope Translations References de:Barahirs Ring es:Anillo de Barahir fr:Anneau de Barahir it:Anello di Barahir nl:Ring van Barahir pl:Pierścień Barahira ru:Кольцо Барахира Category:Rings and Jewels